Our favorite designer with a mission to create positive social and environmental change in the world now has a museum exhibition about her work.
Calling some well-deserved attention to the socially and environmentally conscious production methods of London-based designer Bethany Williams, the London Design Museum opened the “Bethany Williams: Alternative System” display this week. On exhibit until September 4th, this display celebrates Williams’ use of upcycling and community collaboration throughout her designs.
To kick off the display, Williams presented her “Hands That Heal Us” autumn/winter 2022 collection. This included a collaboration with artist Melissa Kitty Jarram to celebrate creative community. This collection featured Williams’ first dip into denim, which was made entirely with raw dark indigo sustainable material. This eco-friendly denim also has details of removable buttons to make it easier to upcycle the garments later.
The primary focus of this collection are the many hands that touch our clothing throughout the making process, through the integration of artisanal and hand-crafted elements, in the form of weaving, knitting, printing, patchworking and embroidery. The life of each garment delicately passes through the hands of our intricate supply chain, and for that we feel immense gratitude to our makers, our tools and our team that surrounds us.
Bethany Williams
Beyond upcycling, Bethany Williams commitment to ethical fashion extends to partnering with a different charity for every collection and working with craftspeople in marginalized communities. During the pandemic, Williams pivoted to offer her designs skills to the Emergency Disaster Network and produced thousands of gowns, masks, and scrubs for healthcare workers.
The exhibit itself is free to the public. It spans the museum’s atrium gallery and was curated by Priya Khanchandani, the museum’s head of curatorial. Expect to see items like garments, textiles, film footage, and photos with stories to go alongside each collection. And get more of a look at how this unique designer threads systemic change into her design process.
–Natale LaBarbera
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